


better

by freedomatsea



Series: Hell's Kitchen Universe Pieces [6]
Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Cunnilingus, F/M, Fluff, Post 1x13, Smut, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 11:50:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12770475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freedomatsea/pseuds/freedomatsea
Summary: Curt suggests that Frank see Karen again.





	better

"You're doing good man.” Curt told him as they stacked chairs.

“It felt cathartic. It felt good.” Frank told him, scratching at his cheek. 

“Not everyone would be willing to sit there and talk after everything you’ve been through.” He clapped him on the shoulder. “There might be hope for you yet. Get you back into civilian life.” 

“Eh,” Frank laughed, shaking his head as he picked up another chair. “I don’t know if we can get that far.” 

“I think you can.” Curtis assured him. “You keep coming to group. You keep talking. You keep reading and getting your mind off shit, you’ll get there. Might not be tomorrow or next week. Hell, it might not even be this year, but you’ll get there.” 

“I don’t know.” Frank shrugged. “I might be too far gone for  _ normal _ . But I’ll get to something.” He blew out a breath. “Still got a lot to work on.”

“Have you reached out to her?”

Frank looked at Curt, his brows knitting together. “ _ Who _ ?” He knew full-well who Curt was implying. 

“You know.” Curt shook his head, “The blonde reporter. Karen, that’s her name right? You’re always reading her articles before group.” He smirked a little. 

He turned away from him. “No. I haven’t. Figured it’s probably for  _ her _ best. Doesn’t need my baggage.” 

“I think she’s picked up your baggage and she’s hauling it around for you without complaints.” Curtis remarked, crossing his arms. “She’s the same one that got on the radio and supported you not that long ago, isn’t she?”

“ _ Yeah _ .” Frank raked his hand over his face, sinking down onto the chair he was just about to pick up. “I don’t know Curt. I don’t know what’s going on there. I don’t know if something should be going on there.”

“Sounds like you’re overthinking it.” Curt grabbed one of the chairs he’d just stacked, dropping it down in front of Frank, sitting across from him. “You like her?”

“She’s a good person.” 

“I said, do you  _ like _ her?” 

Frank bowed his head. “She’s a nice lady.” 

“Frank.” 

He blew out a breath. “Yeah. More than I oughta.” Frank clicked his tongue against his teeth. “She’s a good person. She gave me a second chance when she probably shouldn’t’ve. But she gets so wrapped up in what I’m doing, she gets involved and puts herself in danger. She’s so fucking curious. I don’t know if I’m ready to risk losing her.”

“You can’t lose someone if you never have them.”

“And that’s why I haven’t reached out again.” Frank leaned back heavily in his chair, his shoulders sagging. “Trust me. I’ve thought about going over to her apartment and laying all my shit out for her. See if she’s picking up what I’m putting down.”

“Do you think she is?” 

“Yeah.” He admitted. “I do. Hell, I know she is. I just wasn’t ready. I still don’t know if I am.” 

“How about this…” Curt rubbed his hands together. “You go over there tonight and see her. Doesn’t have to be anything serious. Knock on her door. See if she’ll let you in. Then take it from there. Have a beer, talk, catch up. Let her know how you’re doing.”

Frank sighed. “I don’t know, Curt. I don’t know if I’m ready.”

“You are. Trust me.” Curtis said. “I think your psyche is ready to try. Based on everything you’ve said… Give it a shot.” 

“I’m gonna beat you with your leg if this goes to shit, Curt.” Frank warned him with a laugh as he stood up. “I mean it man.” 

“It’s gonna be fine, Frank. If she’s stuck by you during all that other shit, she’s probably not gonna slam the door in your face.” 

“Might shoot me in the face.” Frank made a face, patting Curt on the shoulder as he walked past him. “Thanks man.” 

“Anytime, Frank.” 

* * *

Frank stood outside her apartment door for a solid thirty minutes before he got the courage to knock. Just as his knuckles started to make contact with the wood, the door swung open and Karen let out a shriek of surprise.

“Frank! What the hell?” She covered her mouth, reaching for the doorframe to steady herself. “What are you doing here?”

Frank blinked at her, taking it all in. She was dressed nicely, like she did for work, but nicer, somehow. “You’re going out…” He trailed off. Already, in his mind, she was heading out on a date. That had to be it. She’d met someone. Good for her. Good. For. Her. 

“I am.” She let out a breath, standing straighter. “And you’re here.”

“It’s not important. Go out.” Frank raked his hand over his face and stepped out of her way. “Have fun.”

“It’s just drinks with Foggy.” Karen pulled her phone out of her purse. “Are you here to see me? I can cancel with Foggy. He’s cancelled on me more times than I can count.” 

“Don’t cancel on account of me.” Frank waved his hand dismissively. “You should go out and live your life.” 

Karen frowned. “Or I could stay in and have a drink with you.” She tilted her head to the side, studying him for a moment, before she turned her attention back to her phone. “And cancelled. Now get inside.” She said firmly.

Frank lingered in the hallway, before he followed her inside. It felt eerily familiar to the last time he’d been in there. He could  _ still _ feel her arms around him. 

“How have you been?” He questioned awkwardly, standing and watching her pull beers out of the fridge. 

“Busy.” Karen retorted. “Worrying about you.” She crossed her arms across her chest. “How have you been?”

“Better than ever.” Karen told her truthfully. “I finished it, Karen. My head ain’t ever going to be right, but it’s clear.”

“What do you mean?” She questioned, cracking the bottles open for them. 

He blew out a breath. “It’s hard to explain.” He took the beer from her, moving to sit on one end of the sofa. “I don’t know if you ever got any info about what went down, but shit got bad. Real bad. Like, dead bad.”

Karen frowned, curling her legs up beneath her. “No one would tell me anything. Not for a lack of trying. I was hoping I’d hear it from the horse’s mouth.”

Frank mirrored her expression. “I  _ know _ . I wanted to come, but…” He shook his head. “I don’t know. I guess I wanted to wait. I looked like shit. Black and blue and tore up.” He clicked his tongue against his teeth. “A few less teeth than I had before.”

Karen took a sip of her beer. “Goddammit, Frank.”

“But I didn’t die.” Frank reminded her, turning to face her more. “I couldn’t. I was right there. Hand outstretched, ready to meet my maker, but… I couldn’t do it. I wanted to live.” He downed a quarter of his beer in one swig. “They day you can’t come back from this shit, but I’m living proof that a man can claw his way out of that hole.”

Karen met his gaze. “I’m glad you didn’t die. I would’ve been really pissed off if you had.”

“Yeah.” Frank laughed lowly. “I wouldn’t blame you.”

“Aside from all of that,  _ how _ are you really?” Karen pressed. “You staying somewhere?”

“Yeah, Curt helped me find a place that wasn’t a hostel. I spend a lot of time reading.” Frank shrugged. “I’ve been going to the group too. Talking about everything. Working through it.”

Karen smiled and reached out to squeeze his hand, before she pulled away. “That’s good Frank. That’s what you need.”

“Yeah.” He nodded, sitting his beer aside and flexing his hand. “Curt’s actually the one who suggested I come here tonight.”

Disappointment flashed across her face, but she quickly masked it. “Did you not want to come?”

“That’s not it at all, Karen.” Frank reached for his beer and took another swig. “I wanted to get my head on straight again. See if I had anything left to give.”

“And…” Karen’s brows knit together as she looked at him. “Do you?”

“Yeah. A little.” He admitted. “But you’re the last good thing in my life and I’m scared shitless I’m gonna lose it. I don’t think I’ll come back from it again.”

“From what  _ again _ ?”

Frank gritted his teeth, before he spoke. “Losing someone I care about.”

Karen sat her beer down, shifting closer to him. “You don’t have to say that you know. I know it wouldn’t be the same as losing…”

“Yes it would.” Frank pressed. “I’d tear the world apart if something happened to you. I was prepared to lose someone before, but now I know better. And I’m not gonna lose you.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. “If you let me.”

Karen didn’t verbally answer him. She answered him in a way he should’ve expected, but he hadn’t. He hadn’t been prepared to feel Karen Page’s lips on his. 

“You’re not going to lose me, Frank.” She whispered as she pulled away, moving closer, practically crawling into his lap. And he let her. He wanted her that closer. Even closer. 

“Thought you’d make me leave.” Frank breathed out, his gaze dropping to her lips. He had to be dreaming. There was no way in hell that Karen would be sitting on his lip, looking like she wanted nothing more than to be kissed  _ again _ . And yet…. she was so warm and real. 

“Did I make you leave before?” Karen questioned, brushing her fingers over the scar on his head, where the bullet had grazed him. 

“No.” Frank wet his lips. “I don’t know. I guess my scenarios were all wrong.” He swallowed thickly, leaning back against the sofa. “I can’t promise you much, Karen. I’m still laying low, getting my head screwed back on.”

“The only promise I want is that you won’t leave without telling me.” Karen trailed her fingers from his temple, drawing them over his cheekbone. “I can’t keep watching you walk away.”

Frank turned and kissed her palm. “You will be the first to know. But I don’t plan on going anywhere.”

“Good.” Karen leaned in and kissed him again, sucking at his bottom lip. 

“You gotta promise me something.” Frank told her, resting a hesitant hand at her hip. 

“Okay.” Karen tilted her head. “What is it?”

“Stop running into trouble.”

“Trouble finds me.” Karen sighed. “I don’t think that’s a promise I can keep.” She leaned forward and pressed her face into the crook of his neck. “I’m sorry.”

Frank blew out a heavy breath, rubbing her back. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“But can you promise the same?” Karen questioned, pulling back to meet his eyes. “I don’t think either of us can promise that.”

“No. Guess not.” Frank’s brows knit together. He carefully ran his hand along her side, his thumb skimming over the curve of her breast. 

“We’ll just have to try to keep ourselves safe.” Karen said as she pulled away to meet his eyes, leaning like she meant to kiss him again, but her phone rang before she could. 

Karen didn’t move off of his lap to grab her pure, shifting in his lap so she could lean over the sofa arm and grab her purse, pulling her phone out. “It’s Foggy, I’m gonna take it.”

Frank nodded, sinking back against the sofa, trying to think of everything and anything that didn’t revolve around the weight of Karen Page sitting on his cock. She had to feel him starting to harden beneath, despite his best attempts to keep it at bay. He hadn’t come there for  _ sex _ .

“I know, I’m sorry I had to cancel. Something came up.” Karen gave him an apologetic look. “I’ll make it up to you another time. No, no Foggy. No, I’m not at my apartment right now, there’s no reason to drop by.” 

Frank tightened his hand at her, looking nervously towards the front door. 

“I’m just doing something.” Karen pressed. “No, I’m not on a date. Not that that’s any of your business.” Karen brushed her lips over his to soothe away the look on his face when she said it wasn’t a date. It wasn’t though, was it?

Karen shifted on his lap again and a low groan escaped Frank in response. If she hadn’t been aware of him before, she definitely was now. 

“I didn’t hear anything.” Karen sighed, making a face as she held the phone away from her head, Foggy’s voice audible as he rambled on and on. “ _ Sorry _ .” Karen mouthed to Frank, leaning in to kiss him quietly. 

Karen brought her phone back to her ear. “I really have to go Foggy. I’ll see you soon.” She shut her phone off and tossed it aside. “Sorry. He talks a lot.”

“I hadn’t noticed.” Frank said dryly, his thumbs tracing the curve of her hip bones beneath her skirt. 

“So, do you want to tell me what all happened to you?” Karen suggested, trailing her fingers over his cheeks.

“I got tortured.” Frank shrugged. “Pretty much right to the edge of death. Then the bastard shot me up with adrenaline. I  _ never  _ want to feel that way again.” He shook his head, closing his eyes, tensing at the memory of the adrenaline coursing through his veins. “I thought I was going to have a fucking heart attack.”

Karen rested her hand on his chest. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Frank shrugged. He didn’t know how to tell her about his psyche during that torture. How he kept thinking of Maria during the pain. How he’d let go of her hand, because he wasn’t ready to die. How he wasn’t ready to give up this life. 

“But I still am.” Karen insisted. “You’ve been through a lot of shit. I don’t know how you deal with all that pain.”

“I’m used to pain, at this point.” Frank told her, cracking an eye open. “Which is fucked up.”

Karen’s cheeks were flushed. “Maybe we could…”  She shook her head, pushing her hair behind her ears. “That was gonna sound stupid.”

“What was?”

“Something about getting you used to another sensation.” She covered her face. 

Frank chuckled. “Look Karen, that’s not what I came here for tonight.” He loosened his grip on her hips. “I wanted to see you and talk to you. Show you that I’m  _ trying  _ to get to a point where there can be an after. An after that doesn’t burden you with all of my baggage.”

“I don’t care about your baggage, Frank.” Karen pressed her palms against his chest. “I don’t need you to try to protect me from  _ you _ . Even at your worst, I don’t care. But I do care about you sinking into that loneliness. Getting comfortable with it.” 

“If I were comfortable with it, I wouldn’t be here.” Frank told her. “I wouldn’t be trying to get my head on straight so I can give you what you deserve.” Frank leaned forward to kiss her, curling his fingers around the back of her head. He took it slow at first, but when Karen moaned against his lips, he took the opportunity to slip his tongue between her lips and explore her mouth. 

Karen gripped at his shoulders, using them for leverage to grind her hips downwards. It had been a long time since he’d done this. His half-dead fever dreams about Maria didn’t count. He had actually forgotten just how good intimacy could feel, if he only just let go instead trying to ignore his body’s reactions. 

“ _ Frank _ .” She hissed out against his lips, her fingers tugging at his shirt. 

“Are we doing this?” Frank questioned, slipping his hand beneath her shirt, smoothing his rough fingers over her soft skin. 

Karen pulled back and met his eyes, searching them as she slowly nodded her head. “ _ Yes. _ ” She whispered, brushing her lips over his lightly. “Do you…  _ want _ to?” 

Frank hesitated, his eyes flickering between her eyes and her lips, before he leaned in to kiss her. “Fuck yes.” He hadn’t come there for this, but now that he was being offered it, he wasn’t about to say no. “But-”

“ _ But _ ?”

Frank cupped her cheek, “ _ But _ I’d rather do this in your bed.” He told her, his other hand roaming along her side. 

Karen smiled at him and it made his heart clench. “That’s a good  _ but _ .” She kissed him with a soft laugh, before she slipped out of his lap, holding her hands out to help him up off the sofa. She kept ahold of one hand, leading him into her bedroom. 

Their clothing came off with surprising ease, despite a few buttons he popped loose getting her her blouse off. Her skirt and his pants were left abandoned at the foot of her bed, before they fell onto the mattress together. 

Frank trailed his lips along her collarbone, kissing down the valley between her breasts, on a downward pursuit. He wanted to take his time. To explore every inch of her skin. His mouth skimmed lower, his tongue darting out to tease her skin. 

He nudged her thighs apart, settling between them, his mouth delicately working over her sensitive flesh. “So fucking good.” Frank mumbled, his tongue flicking over her clit.

Karen inhaled sharply, her back bowing up off the bed, her fingers scraping over the back of his head as she tried to find something to hold onto. “Frank!”

He hooked his arms under her legs, drawing them up and over his shoulders as he devoured her. He took his time, experimenting with how hard or soft he’d worked his tongue over her, testing which spots would make her cry out for him. 

Frank brought her right to the edge with his mouth before he pressed two fingers into her, slowly thrusting them in and out of her. He was winding her up, slowly building her release. 

Karen Page  _ screaming _ his name was really fucking hot. 

“Please.” She begged as she came down from her release, her legs trembling around his face. “Please Frank.”

“What do you want?” He questioned lowly, turning to press his lips to her inner thigh, his fingers still slowly working in and out of her, bringing her down from that high.

Karen gave a strained laugh at that. “I want your cock in me, you idiot.” 

Frank chuckled, sitting back on his knees, looking down at her as she stretched out on her bed, looking oh-so welcoming. He would have to sanitize all of these parts of the evening, when he told Curt how it went. Though Frank doubted he could fully hide his smug delight that  _ this _ had actually happened.

Karen dragged him down, kissing him with an edge that nearly stole his breath. And just when he started to relax atop her, she turned them over, pinning him onto his back. 

“ _ Fuck _ .” Frank hissed out, running his hands along her naked torso. “That’s hot.”

Karen smirked down at him. “Thought you’d like that.” She retorted, reaching down between them to grasp his cock. 

“Take it slow, babe.” He murmured, cupping her breasts as she rose up. “Nice and slow.” Frank rasped out as she lowered herself onto him. 

Karen planted her hands on his chest as she started to move, slow - just like he wanted. She barely rose up, before she lowered herself again. 

Frank still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that this  _ wasn’t  _ a dream. It was too fucking good. She felt like heaven wrapped around his cock. 

“Frank.” Karen whispered, leaning down to plant kisses on his chest as she rolled her hips. “You feel so good.”

“So do you.” Frank murmured, tangling his fingers in her hair. “ _ So _ good.”

“I’m close.” Karen said against his skin, her eyes meeting his, holding his gaze as that moment hit for her. 

Frank rolled them over, drawing her legs around his hips as he started to thrust into her. His hands explored her, grasping at her breasts, leaving open mouthed kisses wherever he could reach. He was right on the edge of his own release. 

“Come on Frank.” Karen urged him, dragging him down for a kiss, her mouth slanting over his, spurring on his release. That moment was  _ blinding _ . White hot lust rushing through him, a sensation he was wholly unfamiliar with anymore. It was good.  _ Really _ fucking good. Feeling something that wasn’t anger and vengeance. 

Karen wrapped her arms around him as he collapsed atop her, trying not to completely crush her. “Why did we wait  _ this _ long?”

Frank chuckled against her neck. “Fuck if I know.” He pulled back just enough to look down at her. “That was good.”

Karen brushed her hair out of her face and laughed. “I’d say that was better than good.” She ran her hand over his face. “How are you?”

“ _ Good _ .” Frank leaned into her touch. “Better than good.” He smiled at her. 

“You gonna go back to group and tell them a good fuck cures all?” Karen teased, kissing his chin. 

“Fuck no.” Frank laughed. “I don’t want them getting any ideas.” He winked at her. 

Karen nudged his leg with her foot. “I’m glad you’re going. I’m glad you’re talking through stuff.”

“Yeah.” Frank nodded. “Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t be  _ here _ right now.”

“I’ll have to send Curt a Thank You card.” Karen smiled, closing her eyes, her fingers playing over the back of his neck. 

This felt good. This felt  _ right _ . This felt like getting better and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. 

“Are you staying?” Karen questioned, her voice quiet, as though she wasn’t sure she should even be asking it at all. 

“I am, Karen.” Frank told her, pressing his lips to her cheek. “For as long as you’ll let me.”

“ _ Good _ .” Karen hummed, curling her arms around him, holding him to her. 

He hoped she’d never let him go. 


End file.
